Loose-leaf binder



Aug. 12, 1941. P. o. UNGER LOOSIE-LEAF BINDER Filed June 7, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @UQTLZQW: pawl O. Uryar 1 w Q y Aug. 12,1941. P. O. qNGER 2,252,422

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Filed June 7, 1937 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 12, 1941 OFFICE LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Paul O. Unger, Elmhurst, 111., assignor to Wilson- Jones Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Massachusetts ApplicationJune 7, 1937, Serial No. 146,749

15 Claims. (Cl. 129-17) This invention relates to a loose leaf binder particularly adapted'to hold a large quantity of sheets in fiat lying position.

It is an object of thisinvention to provide a simple and inexpensive prong binder in which the sheets will lie fiatiagainst the covers. It is another object of-this invention to provide a prongbinder in which no space is wasted at the back of the binder. It is a further object of this invention to provide e'ificient means for securely holding the" sheet retaining prongs in closed position that may be released readily to permit insertion or removal of sheets from the binder. Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a looseleaf binder embodying the invention;

Figure 21s a cros'ssectional view taken along the line II- -II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the binder with the sheet retaining prongs in openposition; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Figure l..

In the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a case member having a pair of walls 3 and 4 extending at an angle. of slightly more than ninety degrees to each other. The back member includes another case-member 5 similar to the I casemember 2, and comprising twoiwalls 6 and 1 extending atthe'same-angle to each other as the walls 3 and 4. A covermember 8 is hinged tothe outer. edgeof the; member 3, as indicated at 9, and another covermember III is similarly hingedptoxthegouter.edge of the member 6, as indicatedatlly i Eachmember, 3. and .6 has .a flat plate member l2 permanently secured. to its underside. The plate members I2 are hinged together, as indicated at l3, so that the case members 2 and 5 may be moved to the position of Figure 3 when it is desired tofiinsertor to remove sheets. A prong carrying plate I4; is secured to the underside of each of, themembers l2 by means of a plurality "of rivets l5. Each of the prong carrying plates has one or more prongs 16- rigidly secured"theretoxinfany suitable manner. The prongs I dare adapted to retain a plurality of sheets l1 impaled thereon. The-plate members l2 are provided with apertures through which theprongs lfiextend. r 1

Thearrangement ofthe prong carrying plates parallel tothebinder back and the semi-circular shape of the prongs cooperate to cause the sheets to lie flat against the covers regardless of the number of sheets impaled on the prongs.

A strip of binding material l8 has its outer edges l9 folded around the prong carrying plates [4 and secured by means of the rivets IS. The angles of the case members 2' and 5 are slightly greater than. ninety degrees so that when the sheet retaining mechanism is in the locked position shown in Figure 2, thebinding material 18 just clears the hinge l3. This arrangement protects the binding material from excessive wear that would be caused by contact of the-hinge 13 with the binding material.

The case members 2 and 5 are retained in the position illustrated'in Figure 2 by means of a plurality of headed studs 20 on the member 4. These studs pass through apertures 2| in the member I and are engaged by a sliding lock bar 22 mounted on the case-member 5. An angle member 23 secured to the member 6 retains one edge of the sliding lock bar 22, and a flange 24 bent over from the outer end of the member I retains the other edge of the sliding lock bar. The sliding lock bar 22 is provided with a plurality of apertures 25 adapted to register with the apertures 2| when the lock bar is in position to release the headed studs 20. The edge of each aperture 25 adapted to engage the studs is offset, as indicated at 25, to form' an abutment to facilitate engagement with the studs 20 and to prevent accidental release of the stud from the lock bar.

A coiled spring 21 exerts a constant force against the Sliding lock bar 22 urging the lock bar towards locking position. One end of the spring 21 is secured to a post 28 mounted on the lock. slide 22, and the other end isse'cured to a post 29 secured to the member 1. The lock bar 22 is provided with an aperture 30 through which the post 29 passes. The aperture 30 is elongated to permit longitudinal movement of the lock bar 22. One end of the lock bar is bent to form a handle 3! to facilitate movement of the lock bar against the action of the spring 21.

The operation of the. binder is obvious from the drawings. When the binder is in the position indicatedin Figure 3 a plurality of sheets may be impaled on the prongs IS. The sheets will be substantiallyflat in this position and the binder may be used for reference in this position. The members 4 and 'l are short enough so that they do not interfere with "moving the sheets on the prongs. When the cover members are moved to closed position theheaded stud 20 engages the abutment 25 and snaps into locked position. The spring 21 holds the locking slide 22 in locked position. The sheets are then securely held and the binder may be used for reference in the position shown in Figure 2. If it is desired to add a sheet, a slight pressure on the handle 3| will release the locking slide 22 from the headed studs 20 and the binder may then be moved to the open position indicated in Figure 3.

An inspection of Figures 2 and 3 shows that the particular hinging arrangement of the case members makesit possible to obtain a large sheet retaining capacity without wasting the space ordinarily required below the cover plate in conventional ring binders. The described binder has all of the advantages of a ring binder, including the important feature of allowing the sheets to lie flat, without the disadvantages of toggle plates and the large amount of space required for the operation of toggle plates.

Although I have described a preferredembodiment of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact structure described, except as limited by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of L-shaped angle case members having a pair of juxtaposed upstanding walls and a pair of walls each integral with one of said upstanding walls and extending at an angle of slightly more than ninety degrees to its upstanding'wall, said angle case members being hinged together at the intersection of said angles.

2. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of L-shaped angle case members having a pair of juxtaposed upstanding walls, a pair of walls each integral with one of said upstanding walls and extending at an angle of slightly more than ninety degrees to its upstanding wall, said angle members being hinged together at the intersection of said angles, and means on one of said upstanding walls cooperating with means on said other upstanding wall to lock said angle members against movement around said hinge.

3. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of L-shaped angle case members having a pair of juxtaposed upstanding walls, a pair of walls each integral with one of said upstanding walls and extending at an angle of slightly more than ninety degrees to its upstanding wall, said angle members being hinged together atthe intersection of said angles, a headed stud near the upper edge of one of said upstanding walls, and a sliding lock bar mounted on the other of said upstandingwalls, said lock bar engaging said headed stud to lock said angle members against movement around said hinge.

4. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of L-shaped angle case members hinged together at the intersection of the meeting edges of the walls of both of said angle case members, and a single strip of binding material covering one wall of both of said case members, the angle of said case members being arranged so that said binding material is free of contact with said hinge at all times. 5. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of angle case members hinged together at the intersection of said angles, a prong carrying plate rigidly secured to the underside of each of said angle members adjacent the outer edges of said angle members, and a binding strip having its outer edges folded around said prong carrying plates and secured between said prong carrying plates and said angle members.

6. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of angle case members hinged together at the intersection of said angles, a prong carrying plate positioned adjacent the underside of the outer edge of each of said case members, a strip of binding material havin its edges folded around the outer edges of said prong carrying plates, and a plurality of rivets securing said prong carrying plates to said angle members.

7. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of angle case members having a pair of juxtaposed upstanding walls and a pair of walls each extending at an angle of slightly more than ninety degrees to its upstanding wall, a prong carrying plate secured to the underside of each of said second mentioned pair of walls, said prong carrying plates being covered by a strip of binding material having its outer edges secured between said prong carrying plates and said second mentioned pair of walls, said angle case members being hinged together at the intersection of said angles, and releasable locking means on said upstanding walls to prevent angular movement of said case members.

8. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of L-shaped angle case members having a pair of juxtaposed upstanding walls and a pair of walls each extending at an angle of slightly more than ninety degrees to its upstanding wall, said angle case members being hinged together at the intersection of the meeting edges of the walls of both of said angles, a pair of plates permanently secured to said second mentioned pair of walls, and a plurality of semi-circular sheet retaining prongs permanently secured to each of said plates.

9. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of angle case members having a pair of juxtaposed upstanding walls, said case members being hinged together at the intersection of said angles, a plate secured to one wall of each of said angle case members, a plurality of semi-circular sheet retaining prongs secured to each of said plates, and a strip of binding material secured between said angle case members and said prong carrying plates, said binding material covering the prong carrying plates and the back of said angle case members.

10. In a loose leaf binder, a back member including'two L-shaped case members having walls which meet at a point spaced slightly above the opposite edges of said walls, each of said walls having an upstanding wall integral therewith, said case members being hinged together at the intersection of said first mentioned walls, said hinge permitting pivotal movement of said case members in one direction to bring said first mentioned walls into juxtaposed position, and releasable locking means on said upstanding walls to prevent said pivotal movement.

11. In a loose leaf binder, a back member including a pair of case membershinged together, said case members having walls which meet at a point spaced slightly above the opposite edges of said walls, a prong carrying plate provided with a plurality of semi-circular sheet retaining prongs secured to each of said walls, and a strip of binding material having its outer edges folded around said prong carrying plates and secured between said prong carrying plates and said walls, the distance of said hinge above the opposite edges of said walls being sufficient to protect said binding material from contact with said hinge.

12. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of L-shaped angle case members hinged together at the intersection of the meeting edges of the walls of both of said L-shaped angle case members, a prong carrying plate secured to each of said case members, said prong carrying plates being substantially parallel to the back of the binder when the binder is in closed position, and a plurality of semi-circular sheet retaining prongs mounted on each of said prong carrying plates.

13. In a loose leaf binder, a back member comprising a pair of angle case members hinged together, a prong carrying plate positionedadjacent the underside of each of said angle case members, a strip of binding material having its outer edges folded around said prong carrying plates and positioned between said prong carrying plates and said angle case members, and a plurality of rivets securing said prong carrying plates, angle case members, and binding strip together.

14. In a loose leaf binder, a back member ineluding two angle case members having walls which meet at a point spaced slightly above the opposite edges of said walls when the binder is in closed position, and a prong carrying plate provided with a plurality of semi-circular sheet retaining prongs secured to each of said walls, said case members being hinged together at the intersection of said walls, said hinge permitting pivotal movement of said case members to move said sheet retaining prongs to open position.

15. In a loose-leaf binder, in combination: a back formed by two rigid fiat parts hinged together along th longitudinal axis of the back, stops upon the said parts for preventing the same from lying in the same plane when the binder is spread out flat, rigidcovers hinged to the external edges of the back parts, and pins secured directly upon the said parts and arcuated concentrically to the axis of th hinged back parts, each of said pins extending over an arc of less than degrees.

PAUL 0. UNGER'. 

